Zuckerberg Island vandalized; police chasing down "solid" leads
By Kyra Hoggan
Police say they have solid leads in the investigation of dramatic vandalism at Zuckerberg Island last weekend, but they’re still asking the public to come forward with any information people might have regarding the culprits responsible for trashing the community site.
“We’re convinced that someone saw who did this,” said RCMP Sgt. Laurel Mathew. “Enough is enough – it’s time for someone to step up. Either way, police are following up several solid leads and the investigation is continuing.
“Quite often graffiti ‘artists’ have a distinctive ‘signature’, which can be traced back to them. Police are hoping that these tags that were painted will assist the public in identifying this culprit,” Mathew said.
Site manager Deb McIntosh said she got a call at 10 a.m. on Saturday, from a deeply distressed employee who discovered the damage.
“The stairs and the railing to the front porch of the chapel were torn off, the picnic table was destroyed, shingles were ripped off the small roof over the porch, part of the gutter torn down, shutters were torn off and plants ripped out of the ground,” she said. “There was garbage strewn everywhere, new graffiti, and they even destroyed a memorial oak tree.
“It’s such a violation.”
She said there have been issues of vandalism before, but never to this extent.
“This is a community resource, and what happened was an insult and an attack on every member of this community,” she said. “To destroy something that is so beautiful and tranquil … but people talk, and people recognize some of the graffiti tags. We’re already getting calls and emails. So if the person who did this is reading this newsstory, I’d like them to know that we’re hot on their little tails.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the RCMP detachment at 250-365-7721.
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